Ski tow

ABSTRACT

A ski tow arrangement having a start up section wherein a skier is gradually brought up to the speed of the tow. The start up section generally comprises a roller bearing section above which extend a pair of moving handrails. By gripping the moving handrails while standing on the roller bearing section a skier is brought up to the speed of the tow. The roller bearing section is adjacent a conveyor belt type tow. The conveyor belt tow and the moving handrail move at approximately the same speed. A second roller bearing section is positioned adjacent to the opposite end of the conveyor belt tow to aid in the exiting of a skier from the tow. The tow can be covered by a hood to protect the tow and skier from the weather.

United States Patent Arthur G. Cheronis 3,349,720 10/1967 Pender 3,385,229 5/1968 Ahem ABSTRACT: A ski tow arrangement having a start up section wherein a skier is gradually brought up to the speed of the tow. The start up section generally comprises a roller bearing section above which extend a pair of moving handrails. By gripping the moving handrails while standing on the roller bearing section a skier is brought up to the speed of the tow. The roller bearing section is adjacent a conveyor belt type tow. The conveyor belt tow and the moving handrail move at approximately the same speed. A second roller bearing section is positioned adjacent to the opposite end of the conveyor belt tow to aid in the exiting of a skier from the tow, The tow can be covered by a hood to protect the tow and skier from the weather,

SKI TOW BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention is concerned with a ski tow transport system of the conveyor belt type.

2. Description of the Prior Art Ski tows and related apparatus are generally known in the prior art. A representative grouping of the prior art is illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,339,496; 3,349,720 and 3,385,339. In operation the prior art tows are of two principal types; those which stop to pick up skiers and those which continue to move while the skier is being picked up. This invention is concerned with the latter'type of tow.

Tows which stop to pick up skiers are generally easier to use as there is no sudden jerk when a skier first engages the tow. Because there is no sudden engagement with the tow, the chances of an individual being knocked off balance or knocked down are minimized. However, this type of tow is disadvantageous in that the stop and start operation moves fewer skiers in a given amount of time and requires more time for the skiers to get up the hill. Also, the stop and start operation tends to wear out the equipment rapidly.

The continuously moving ski tows include the moving rope type and the chain arrangement type. While these devices are desirable in that little time is wasted, they are undesirable in that skiers are often knocked off balance when they first engage the two. If the skier is inexperienced he may be knocked down or fall down because he is already in a somewhat unstable condition on skis. It is often necessary to stop the two while these individuals are helped back to their feet. These stoppages waste time for both the operator and for those persons already on the two. Also, as a result of these falls serious injuries can result. Falls can also occur when skiers reach their destination at the top of the hill and leave the prior art tows. It can be seen therefore that there is a need for a ski tow whereby skiers can be picked up without stopping the two but wherein means are provided for the gradual acceleration and deceleration of the user as he enters and exits from the tow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One embodiment of this invention might include a ski tow comprising a roller bearing section upon which the skier is gradually brought up to the speed of the ski tow. The roller bearing section is paralleled by a pair of powered moving handrails which the skier grips and by which he is accelerated. The main portion of the ski tow includes a conveyor belt which is moving at approximately the same speed as the moving handrails. The conveyor belt is paralleled by a pair of waist high free wheeling handrails. A second roller bearing section is positioned adjacent the opposite end of the conveyor belt tow to allow a skier to gradually decrease his speed as he exits from the conveyor belt tow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one end of the ski tow of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side elevation of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the discharge end of the tow;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the entry end of the tow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. l-3, a skier 4 is shown using a ski tow assembly 2 which generally includes a first roller bearing section 6, a pair of powered handrails 8, a conveyor belt section 10, a pair of free wheeling handrails l4 and a second roller bearing section 26. The conveyor belt is arranged to move at a rate of speed sufficient to move the skier 4 up the ski slope in a short period of time. The first roller earing section in conjunction with the powered handrails 8 permit the gradual acceleration of the skier to the speed of the conveyor belt 10 so that as he moves onto the conveyor belt he is not thrown off balance.

The first roller bearing section 6 consists of a plurality of parallel rollers 7 which are joumaled in aa of opposing supports 5. The powered handrails 8 comprise belts 8A which ex tend over a portion of the conveyor belt section 10 and also over the roller bearing section 6. The belts 8A are received and supported on pulleys 22 and 24 which are journaled in side members 15. The belts 8A are driven through the pulleys 22 which are positively coupled to further pulleys 22A each of which has received thereon a belt 18. Each belt 18 is also received about a pulley 13 which is positively coupled to the drive roller 20.of the main conveyor belt section 10. The various pulley diameters are so selected that the speed of the powered handrail 8 is approximately equal to the speed of the conveyor belt 10.

The powered handrails 8 as mentioned extend over a portion of the roller bearing section 6 and also over a portion of the conveyor belt 10. This arrangement permits the skier to position himself on the roller bearing section 6 before gripping the powered handrails 8. The powered handrails 8 are positioned at approximately waist height. Thus when the skier grips the powered handrails, he is accelerated by a force applied generally at the center of gravity of his body. After he is moving on the roller bearing section 6 at a speed established by the powered handrail 8, his skis move onto the conveyor belt 10. Because the handrails are moving at substantially the same rate of speed as the conveyor belt, the transfer from the roller bearings is not abrupt and there is no sensation of speed change or jerking.

Conveyor belt 10 is used topropel the skier up the ski slope. This belt is driven by the roller 20 which is in turn attached to a power source not shown. The belt is supported by a plurality of idler rollers 11 which prevent its sagging. The rollers 11 and 20 are joumaled in a pair of supports 9. Similar rollersmay be used to support the powered belt 8A as well as the free wheeling belt 14. The free wheeling handrails 14 start where the powered handrails 8 stop. The handrails 14 are endless and are received around and supported on nondriven idler rollers 30 which are in turn journaled in sidewalls 12. In addition to providing a support for handrail 14, the sidewalls also function to give skiers a feeling of security as they travel up the ski slope.'The term freewheeling is used in connection with the handrails to indicate that no power means is used to drive the handrails. They are moved only by skiers as the skiers are moved by conveyor belt 10.

FIG. 3 illustrates the opposite end of the ski tow which includes a second roller bearing section 26. This section generally consists of a plurality of rollers 27 which are journaled in a pair of opposing supports 28. FIG. 4 shows that if desired the ski tow can be covered with a hood 16. The hood 16 as well as sidewalls l5 and 12 give protection from the weather to those using the two. For purposes of economy and where the traffic will justify, two units can be assembled in tandem thus reducing mounting cost. Alternatively, cost for 'moving a given number of skiers can also be reduced by widening the conveyor belt 10 and lengthening the rollers 7 so that each skier uses only one of the handrails 8 and 14. It can be appreciated that a number of the conveyor belts 10 can be placed in order and with the discharge ends of each lower belt discharging at the intake end of each upper belt so that a skier moves directly onto the upper belt from the lower belt without interruption.

What is claimed is:

l. A ski tow arrangement comprising a first roller bearing section, a pair of powered moving handrails arranged in parallel relation to and above said first roller bearing section, a conveyor belt section adjacent to said first roller bearing section and having an intake end and a discharge end, said conveyor belt being arranged to move at approximately the same speed as said powered moving handrails.

2. The ski tow of claim 1 wherein said powered moving handrails extend over the intake end of said conveyor belt section as well as over said roller bearing section.

3. The ski tow of claim 1 additionally comprising a pair of free wheeling handrails arranged above and in parallel relation to said conveyor belt section, said free wheeling handrails being aligned with said powered handrails.

4. The ski tow of claim 1 additionally comprising a hood covering said conveyor belt section.

5. The ski tow of claim 1 additionally comprising a second roller bearing section positioned adjacent the discharge end of said conveyor belt section to aid in the exiting of skiers from said conveyor belt section.

6. The ski tow of claim 5 wherein said movinghandrails extend over said conveyor belt section as well as said roller bearing section, a pair of free wheeling handrails positioned above and in parallel relation to said conveyor belt section, and a hood covering said conveyor belt section.

7. A ski tow arrangement comprising a conveyor belt section upon which a skier stands while moving up the hill, and a pair of powered handrails arranged in parallel relation to said conveyor belt section and positioned to move a skier onto said conveyor belt section, said conveyor belt section being arranged to move at approximately the same speed as said handrails. 

1. A ski tow arrangement comprising a first roller bearing section, a pair of powered moving handrails arranged in parallel relation to and above said first roller bearing section, a conveyor belt section adjacent to said first roller bearing section and having an intake end and a discharge end, said conveyor belt being arranged to move at approximately the same speed as said powered moving handrails.
 2. The ski tow of claim 1 wherein said powered moving handrails extend over the intake end of said conveyor belt section as well as over said roller bearing section.
 3. The ski tow of claim 1 additionally comprising a pair of free wheeling handrails arranged above and in parallel relation to said conveyor belt section, said free wheeling handrails being aligned with said powered handrails.
 4. The ski tow of claim 1 additionally comprising a hood covering said conveyor belt section.
 5. The ski tow of claim 1 additionally comprising a second roller bearing section positioned adjacent the discharge end of said conveyor belt section to aid in the exiting of skiers from said conveyor belt section.
 6. The ski tow of claim 5 wherein said moving handrails extend over said conveyor belt section as well as said roller bearing section, a pair of free wheeling handrails positioned above and in parallel relation to said conveyor belt section, and a hood covering said conveyor belt section.
 7. A ski tow arrangement comprising a conveyor belt section upon which a skier stands while moving up the hill, and a pair of powered handrails arranged in parallel relation to said conveyor belt section and positioned to move a skier onto said conveyor belt section, said conveyor belt section being arranged to move at approximately the same speed as said handrails. 